Chikkamagaluru: Elephant tramples woman to death

The victim Meena (32) was unmarried and looking after her family. Her younger brother and father were dependent on her.

Aldur (Chikkamagaluru): A woman labourer died on spot after being trampled by a wild elephant in a coffee plantation on Wednesday morning.

Meena (32), daughter of Mohan, a resident of Galigundi village is the deceased.

The incident happened at Hedadalu Guddadakere when Meena and four other fellow labourers were preparing to have their breakfast at the plantation on Wednesday morning, before heading to their work.

An elephant suddenly charged at them to attack and all of them ran away.

Unfortunately, Meena could not escape from the elephant.

Her head was trampled by the elephant as a result she died on the spot.

Her fellow labourer Chandri (52), who saw the grievous accident, lost consciousness out of shock. She has been admitted to Aldur hospital.

Meena was unmarried and looking after her family.  Her younger brother and father were dependent on her.

When the DRFO Gowtham Sandeep and local police visited the spot, the local residents urged the higher officials of the forest department and the MLA to come to the spot. They said that they will not hand over the body to the police unless the MLA arrives at the spot. There was an exchange of arguments between the people and the officials.

Later, the body was shifted to a cold storage box and was placed near the old check post of Galigandi forest. As a mark of protest, more than hundred people gathered on the venue and blocked the state highway 27 connecting Sringeri and Chikkamagaluru, for about an hour.

Mudigere MLA Nayana Motamma said that a herd of five elephants had recently come from Sakleshpur. Among them, three are calves and the elephant Bhuvaneshwari is radio collared. Two elephants joined them later, making it a herd of a total seven elephants.

"Efforts were made to drive them to Muttodi. Forest officials are monitoring them consistently. One of them is the tusker which had attacked the labourers."

Railway barricade is recommended in the region as a permanent solution to prevent the elephants from sneaking into plantations. The barricade is also needed at Beluru and Sakleshpur. Elephants from Sakrebailu will be sourced to translocate the tusker, she further said.

The elephant attack victim Meena (in the picture) died on the spot.

CM conducts urgent meeting

Conducting an urgent meeting with the Deputy Commissioner district superintendent of police and the forest department officials at Mudigere, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah directed the officials to immediately provide a compensation of Rs 15 lakh to the family of Meena.

Also, urgent measures should be taken to drive the elephants to the forest, the CM said.

He had come to take part in the final rites of former minister D B Chandregowda at Daradahalli in Mudigere.

Speaking to the protestors through phone, the CM assured of taking all possible measures to prevent wild elephant attacks.

The CM said that he has asked the forest minister to issue clear directions to the concerning task force to install railway barricades. The minister will conduct a detailed meeting on the issue, he added.

In response to the demand by the protestors to shoot the wild elephant to death, the CM said that the extreme measure might not be necessary. Other effective measures will surely be taken.